Match-box.



A; ZICARD.

11111011 Box. APPLICATION FILED VDEC. 3, 1910.

Patented Apr. 25., 1911.

ANG-ELUS ZICARD, OF LEECHBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Application filed December 3, 1910. Serial No. 595,410.

To all whom "it may concem Be it known that I, ANGnLUs ZICARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leechburg, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new' and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a match box, and more particularly to the class of match boxes having means for ejecting a single match therefrom on the opening thereof.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a match box in which a single match may be ejected therefrom upon the opening of the lid or cover thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a match box in which is arranged an ejecting device, whereby matches may be ejected singly therefrom in successive order upon the opening of the lid or cover thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a match box for receiving a plu- Y rality of matches, one of which is positioned within the box, whereby it may be partially ejected therefrom, so that the same may be conveniently removed from the box for ignition, said box being provided with a hinged cover or lid adapted to automatically eject the said match on the opening thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a match box of this character which is simple in construction, inexpensive, compact, and of a character from which matches are adapted to be delivered one at a time, as the occasion may require.

`With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings', and pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

1n the drawings: Figure 1 'is a side elevation of a match box constructed in accordance with the invention and being partly broken away at one side. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the match box, showing the lid raised. Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the plunger and ejector arm removed from the match box.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 designates generally a match box,-eompris ing a body which may be of any suitable shape, size and construction, and also which may be of any suitable material, and is provided with an inner compartment 6 for the reception of matches, a tubular chamber 7 being formed between the contiguous side Walls of the body and the compartment, and one side Wall of the said body being provided with a recess 8 intermediate the length thereof and communicating with the said chamber 7, for a purpose as will be hereinafter more fully described.

A cover or lid 9 is suitably hinged to the body of the box 5, so that the same may be swung to open or closed positions, the body of the box being provided with a spring catch 10 adapted to engage the lid or cover 9 when closed for holding it in such position, and this catch 10 is provided with a linger button 11 protruding through a suitable aperture exteriorly of the body, so that the spring catch 10 may be displaced or unlocked for opening the cover or lid when it is desired to remove a match from the match box.

Within the chamber 7 is loosely disposed a plunger rod or stem 12, the inner end of which is engaged with one end of a coiled expansion spring 13, the same being also held within the chamber 7 and has its opposite end bearing against the lower end of the said chamber, so that upon the raising of the lid or cover 9, the upper end of the plunger rod or stem 12 will be projected exteriorly of the body of the match box. This projected end of the plunger rod or stem 12 is engaged with a rearwardly inclined strap 14, the same being secured at its ends to the flanged portion of the cover or lid 9, so as to lie within the same, the function of the strap 14 being to depress the plunger rod or stem 12 when the lid or cover 9 is brought to closed position on the body of the match box.

Suitably fixed to the plunger rod 12 medially of its length is one end of an ejector finger or arm 15, the free end of which being curved to form a rounded gripping extremity 1G, the same being provided with a sharpened edge 17, so as to bite into the stick or stem of a match when pressed against the said extremity 16, thus when the lid or cover 9 is raised and on the movement of the plunger rod or stem 12, t-he said arm 15 will partially eject the said match through the mouth from the interior of the body of the match box, whereby the said match may be removed for the igniting thereof in the usual well-known manner. This arm l5 is movable within the recess 8, so that its outer face will be flush with the inner face of the side walls of the body of the box in which the said recess 8 is formed, thereby not intertering with matches conned within the body rearwardly of the match being ejected by the said arm.

Fixed in the body of the box 5 beneath the inner end of the chamber 7 is a transverse pivot pin 18 about which isbent one end of a flat follower spring 19 which has its free end working against the row of matches held within the body, so as to acl- Vance the'said matches within the case or box, and thereby bring a single match into contact with the gripping extremity 16 of the ejector arm l5, whereby upon the releasing of the plunger rod 12 on the raising of the lid 9, the match will be partially ejected from the box, so that it can be freely withdrawn therefrom by the user. This follower spring 19 at theV end bent aboutk the pivot 18 is engaged with the wall of the chamber 7, so that when the same is retreated within the bodyof the-box 5, the spring will be held under tension for positively effecting advancement singly of the matches into the path of movement of the gripping end 16 of the ejector arm, so that when the plunger rod is released, the match engaged by the ejector arm may be ejected partially from the box."

What is claimed is:

A match box comprising a body having a chamber between its side walls, and a recess in one side wall communicating with said chamber, a lid hinged to the body, a linger releasable catch normally holding the lid closed, a plunger rod slidably itted in the chamber, a spring fitted within the chamber and acting upon the plunger rod to automatically displace the latter on the opening of the lid, an ejector arm fixed to the plunger rod and having a curved biting extremity for engagement with a match, and spring means adapted to act upon a match to move the same into engagement with said extremity, whereby on the opening of the lid such match will be partially ejected from the body.

ANGELUS ZIOARD.

Witnesses ANTONY Bnoss, FRANK BONELLO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

